Daria Neklesa

HAMMOND UNDER PRESSURE TO HELP FAMILIES AS WELL AS REASSURE BUSINESSES

Chancellor Philip Hammond is facing twin pressures to help so-called "just about managing" families and reassure business over concerns around Brexit and the Government's agenda in his Autumn Statement.

Mr Hammond has indicated there will be no substantial giveaways in Wednesday's mini-Budget, stressing the economy is facing a "sharp challenge" and calling for "headroom" to deal with a black hole in the public finances reportedly as high as £100 billion.

Prime Minister Theresa May is set to use a speech to business leaders at the CBI annual conference on Monday to reassure them that she is on their side as long as they work with her to ensure growth is shared by everyone.

Chancellor Philip Hammond should cut housing and business taxes to stop the North continuing to suffer a "brain drain" as high-skilled British workers leave the region in their thousands, a new report says.

The Homes for the North study said that over the past decade the North has suffered an exodus of 310,000 highly qualified British workers with just 235,000 moving the opposite way.

It said the deficit suggests an average of 7,500 highly qualified British workers leave the region every year.

MAY SET TO MAKE CORPORATION TAX PLEDGE AS OLIVE BRANCH FOR BUSINESS

Theresa May will suggest she will match Donald Trump's expected cuts to corporation tax as she attempts to hold out an olive branch to business leaders.

In her first speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) annual conference, the Prime Minister will stress her "aim" for the UK to maintain its status as having the lowest corporation tax rate in the G20 group of countries.

Uncertainty over plans to replace the "woefully low" number of warships risks jeopardising Britain's defences, an influential committee has warned.

MPs said they had "serious concerns" about the funding and timetable of the new fleet replacing frigates that are due to be decommissioned.

Dropping below the current 19 ships even for a short time would be "completely unacceptable" and leave the UK lacking the maritime strength to deal with the threats it faces from areas like Russia, the Defence Select Committee said.

I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant Joel Dommett has opened up about his leaked sex tape, admitting he feels "naive" to have been tricked into making it.

The footage of the comedian emerged shortly before he entered the Australian jungle for the ITV competition.

Spilling the beans to his campmates on Sunday's show, Dommett explained that he had been "catfished" by a woman he had been talking to online.

OBAMA: I'LL SPEAK OUT ON TRUMP TO DEFEND US IDEALS

US president Barack Obama has said he does not intend to become his successor's constant critic - but reserved the right to speak out if Donald Trump or his policies breach certain "values or ideals".

Mr Obama suggested that once he is out of office he would uphold the tradition of ex-presidents stepping aside quietly to allow their successors space to govern.

He heaped praise on former president George W Bush, saying he "could not have been more gracious to me when I came in" and said he wanted to give Mr Trump the same chance to pursue his agenda "without somebody popping off" at every turn.

NUMBER OF PLASTIC BAGS FOUND ON UK BEACHES PLUGES AFTER 5P LEVY

The number of plastic carrier bags found on UK beaches has dropped by almost half, according to conservationists.

The Marine Conservation Society said the introduction of a 5p levy on single use plastic bags in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over the last five years was instrumental in the drop.

According to the charity's annual Great British Beach Clean report, there were on average 11 plastic bags per 100 metres of coastline cleaned in 2015 but this year there was just under seven - a decrease of almost 40% and the lowest number in the last 10 years.

MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON HERO PILOT 'WANTED HANKS AS AN ALLY'

The pilot who safely landed a passenger plane on New York's Hudson River said he wanted to recruit Tom Hanks "as an ally" after learning the actor would play him in a Hollywood movie.

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger saved the lives of all 155 people on board US Airways flight 1549 after he was forced to land in water following a bird strike in 2009.

His story is now the subject of a new film, Sully: Miracle On The Hudson, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Hanks in the lead role.